Fluid fuel burner apparatus



April 6, 1965 s. E. TOWNSEND FLUID FUEL BURNER APPARATUS Filed Aug. 31.1961 flash tube to ignite the gas at the burner head.

United States Patent Ofitice 3,176,753 FLUm FUEL BURNER APPARATUS GeorgeE. Townsend, Hamilton, Ohio, assignor to Whirlpool Corporation, acorporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 135,270 3 Claims.(Cl. 158-415) This invention relates to burner apparatus having anignition system and in particular to burner apparatus including drilledport atmospheric burners.

In conventional burner apparatus, it is necessary to deliver fluid fuel,such as combustible gas, at a substantial rate to the main burner headin order to build up a sufficient back pressure therein to provide thenecessary gas flow through an associated flash tube to a standing pilotso that flashback of the gas may occur in the If he burner issubsequently adjusted to have a relatively low flame, and the flame isfor any reason extinguished, the gas is not automatically re-ignited asthere is insuflicient gas flow through the flash tube to eifect thenecessary flashback. Thus, an undesirable build-up of gas may occurprior to the reignition of the burner. Similarly, it has in the pastbeen difficult with available ignition systems to achieve instantaneousignition at low temperature settion comprehends an improved burnerapparatus providing an ignition pilot flame at allrates of delivery ofgas to the burner head, thereby permitting the burner head to performboth as a simmer burner and a main burner while yet assuring re-ignitionof the burner in the event that the flame is blown out when the burneris operating with a small flame as a simmer burner. This inventionfurther comprehends an improved ignition apparatus capable of providingincreased gaos pressures to the ignition apparatus at low temperatureburned setting to assure positive burner ignition at these lower burnersettings.

Thus, a principal feature of the present invention is the provision of anew and improved ignition apparatus for a gas burner.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of such a burnerapparatus having new and improved means for maintining a pilot flame forignition of gas delivered to a burner head at both low and high rates.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of such a burnerapparatus including new and improved valve means for delivering gas tothe ignition pilot at a high rate whenever gas is being delivered to theburner head at a low rate.

Still another feature of the invention is the provision of such a burnerapparatus wherein the delivery of gas to the ignition pilot and theburner head is controlled by a singlc-valve device.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingwherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram, with portions broken away, of a burnerignition apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan View of the valve means thereof;

FIG. 3 is a vertical diametric section of the valve means;

FIG. 4 is a vertical diametric section of the valve means takensubstantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section of the valve means taken substantiallyalong the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in drawing, adrilled port atmospheric burner generally designated 19 is shown tocomprise a burner head 11 provided with a plurality of peripheral ports12 carried by a burner body 13 to define an annularchar'nber 14.Combustible gas is delivered to chamber 14 through a conduit 15 having aconventional venturi 15a and dehiring a first flow pasage 16. Laterallyadjacent the body 13 is an ignition pilot device or tower 17 comprisingan upright tube having a port 13 at its upper end 19, a laterallyopening port 29 spaced substantially belowupper end 19, and an upwardlyinclined port 21 immediately above and interconnected to port 2% by aslot 210: which is sub stantially smaller 'in width compared to hediameters of ports 2t} and 21. A conduit 22 extends from adjacent port2d to adjacent a standing pilot 23 to define a flash tube. The pilottube 17 is connected to an aerator 24 of conventional constructionprovided with air inlets 25 for delivering primary air to mix with thecombustible gas in tube 17. The combustible gas isdelivered to aerator 25 and conduit 15 from a valve 26 connected to a suitable gas supply line2' More specifically, the combustible gas is delivered'to aerator 24through a conduit 23. The valve 26 is provided with a conventionaladjustment gland 2.9 for regulating the pressure or" the gas deliveredto the conduit 28 from gland 29 to approximately /2 inch of water. The

valve further defines a bypass passage 39 connected to conduit 23downstream of gland 29. e

As brought out more fully hereinafter, the purpose of bypass 3a is toprovide gas to pilot tube 17 at an increased r rate of flow whendesired. More spccciiically, the valve 26 is arranged to deliver gas athigh rate through bypass conduit 36 for instant ignition of the pilotflame P before the cumbustible gas is delivered to the burner chamber14. Thus, a pilot flame P may-bemaintained at port 18 of the pilot tube17 at all times While gas is flowingwto the main burner head 11. Pilottube 17 and conduit 28 effectively define a second flow passage fordelivery of gas to the port 18. Flash tube 22 eifectively defines athird flow passage for delivery of gas from port 2% to standing pilot 23for flashback thereof to ignite gas passing outwardly through port 21,which in turn ignites the gas passing outwardly through port 18 to formthe pilot flame P. Further, the bypass passage defines a fourth flowpassage bypassing the adjustment gland 29 to provide, at preselectedtimes, a high rate of gas flow to the pilot tube 17 to instantly ignitegas flowing from burner port 13 to provide tower flame P.

Turning now to FIGURES 2-5, the value 26 is shown to comprise a valvebody 31 having a threaded inlet 32 for connection thereto of gas supplyconduit 27', an outlet 33 for connection thereto of delivery conduit 15,and a threaded outlet 34 for connection thereto of conduit 28.

Outlet 34 defines the bypass flow passage 36 and a flow passage 35 inwhich the adjustment gland 29 is provided.

The valve body 31 internally defines a frusto-conic al valve chamber 36in which is seated a correspondingly frusto-conical plug 37. The upperend of cavity36' is closed by a cap 38 threadedly secured to the valvebody,

and an operating shaft 39 extends rotatably through the cap 38 forrotating the plug 37 about its longitudinal axis within the chamber 36.A coil spring 40 is disposed con- Patented Apr. 6, 1965 l plug at thelevel of the bore 43 through inlet 32 and an axial passage 44 extendsdownwardly from opening 42 to the bottom of the plug to providecommunication between the inlet bore 43 and the outlet 41 whenthe plugis rotated in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 2 betweenapproximately 60 degrees and approximately 90 degrees from the offposition shown in FIG. 2. Thus, as more and more of the opening 42 isexposed to the bore 43, the rate of flow of the gas to the chamber 14increases correspondingly until the bore 43 is completely exposed to theopening 42 whereupon the flow rate is maximum.

As best seen in FIG. 4, the plug 37 is further provided with an arcuateperipheral groove 45 aligned with the end 46 of passages 35 opening intochamber 36 and an arcuate peripheral groove 47 aligned with the end 48of passage opening into chamber 36. The grooves 45 and 47 are connectedby means of a short longitudinally extending peripheral groove 49. Asshown in FIGURE 3, a small passage 50 is provided through body 31communicating at one end with inlet passage 43 and at the opposite endwith chamber 36 for delivering gas from inlet 32 into the groove 45.Groove 45 is constantly under gas pressure regardless of its on or offposition. Groove 47 is substantially shorter than groove 45 and thus gasis delivered from groove 45 through grooves 49 and 47 to bypass passage30 when the right hand portion of groove 45, as seen in FIGURE 4, is incommunication with passage 35. When the right hand portions of grooves45 and 47 as viewed in FIGURE 4 are in communication with passages 30and 35, a high rate of gas flow is provided in pilot tube 17 throughbypass flow passage 30 for instant ignition of pilot flame P. As shaft39 is rotated in the counter clockwise direction groove 47, because ofits shorter length, terminates communication with passage 30 and the gassupply to the pilot tube 17 is maintained through passage at asubstantially reduced rate of flow. Adjustment gland 29 provides for thereduced flow rate of gas. At this point, due to continued rotation ofshaft 39 in the counterclockwise direction, opening 42 establishescommunication with inlet bore 43 to allow gas to flow from inletbore 43,into conduit 15 and from ports 12 of burner head 11 for ignition bypilot flame P. Therefore, whenever a combustible gas mixture emanatesfrom ports 12, it is ignited immediately by pilot flame P. This featureallows the main burner to maintain a simmer position without the dangerof the burner flame being extinguished for a sufficient period to allowa substantial build-up of unignited gas before reignition. Due to theconstruction of valve 26, which provides for sequential ignition of thepilot and main burner 10, main burner 10 is not supplied with acombustible gas until pilot flame P has been established. Further, asthe burner head 11 is utilized for both the simmer and high heatfunctions, a uniform distribution of the heat is provided at all timesthroughout the various burner valve settings, providing a substantialimprovement over the conventional structures wherein a separate smallsimmer burner is provided which tends to localize the heat in a smallarea at simmer settings.

Valve 26 is extremely simple, inexpensive and foolproof in operation.The positive providing of the pilot flame P aiforded by the valve 26 isa highly desirable feature, particularly where the burner apparatus iscycled by a thermostatic control to provide a preselected temperature,as in such cycling operations the chance for blow-out of the main burnerand build-up of unignited gas before reignition issubstantiallyincreased.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it isto be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes,therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

I claim:

1. Burner apparatus comprising: a source of fluid fuel; a burner head; astanding pilot spaced from said burner head; an ignition pilot deviceadjacent said burner head; means defining a first flow passage. fordelivering combustible fluid fuel to said burner head; means defining asecond flow passage for delivering combustible fluid fuel to saidignition pilot device; means defining a third flow passage between saidsecond flow passage and said standing pilot for receiving fluid fuelfrom said second flow passage to flash back and ignite fluid fueldelivered to said ignition pilot device thereby to ignite fluid fueldelivered to said burner headiand manually controlled valve meanscontrolling the delivery of fluid fuel through said flow passagesincluding means for delivering fluid fuel to said second passage forflow to said ignition pilot device at a high rate for instantaneousignition of said pilot device and then at a low rate to maintain saidignition of said pilot device, said valve means delivering fluid fuel tosaid first passage selectively over a range of How rates only after theignition of said pilot device,

2. Burner apparatus comprising: a source of fluid fuel; a burner head; astanding pilot spaced from said burner head; an ignition pilot deviceadjacent said burner head; means defining a first flow passage fordelivering combustible fluid fuel to said burner head; means defining asecond flow passage for delivering combustible fluid fuel to saidignition pilot device; means defining a third flow passage between saidsecond flow passage and said standing pilot for receiving fluid fuelfrom said second flow passage to flash back and ignite fluid fueldelivered to said ignition pilot device thereby to ignite fluid fueldelivered to said burner head; a fourth flow passage communicating'withsaid second flow passage; and manually controlled valve means receivingfuel from said source for a said pilot device before delivery of fluidfuel through the first flow passage to said burner head, said valvemeans comprising a valve body having a fuel inlet communicating withsaid source, and first, second and fourth outlets each respectivelycommunicating with said first, second and fourth flow passages, andmeans in said valve body for selectively and sequentially deliveringfluid fuel from said fuel inlet to said fourth, second and first outletsfrom said inlet upon operation of said valve means to supply fuel fromsaid source to said corresponding flow passages.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said valve body comprises a singlevalve casing and a single valve plug therein, containing said first,second and fourth outlets and said inlet.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,576 9 4/37Laghetto 158-115 2,104,298 1/38 Gauger 158-ll5 2,898,979 8/59 Hollman etal 158l16 JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

FREDERICK L. MATTESON, PERCY L. PATRICK,

Examiners;

1. BURNER APPARATUS COMPRISING: A SOURCE OF FLUID FUEL; A BURNER HEAD; ASTANDING PILOT SPACED FROM SAID BURNER HEAD; AN IGNITION PILOT DEVICEADJACENT SAID BURNER HEAD; MEANS DEFINING A FIRST FLOW PASSAGE FORDELIVERING COMBUSTIBLE FLUID FUEL TO SAID BURNER HEAD; MEANS DEFINING ASECOND FLOW PASSAGE FOR DELIVERING COMBUSTIBLE FLUID FUEL TO SAIDIGNITION PILOT DEVICE; MEANS DEFINING A THIRD FLOW PASSAGE BETWEEN SAIDSECOND FLOW PASSAGE AND SAID STANDING PILOT FOR RECEIVING FLUID FUELFROM SAID SECOND FLOW PASSAGE TO FLASH BACK AND IGNITE FLUID FUELDELIVERED TO SAID IGNITION PILOT DEVICE THEREBY TO IGNITE FLUID FUELDELIVERED TO SAID BURNER HEAD; AND MANUALLY CONTROLLED VALVE MEANSCONTROLLING THE DELVIERY OF FLUID FUEL THROUGH SAID FLOW PASSAGESINCLUDING MEANS FOR DELIVERING FLUID FUEL TO SAID SECOND PASSAGE FORFLOW TO SAID IGNITION PILOT DEVIVE AT A HIGH RATE FOR INSTANTANEOUSIGNITION OF SAID PILOT DEVICE AND THEN AT A LOW RATE TO MAINTAIN SAIDIGNITION OF SAID PILOT DEVICE, SAID VALVE MEANS DELIVERING FLUID FUEL TOSAID FIRST PASSAGE SELECTIVELY OVER A RANGE OF FLOW RATES ONLY AFTER THEIGNITION OF SAID PILOT DEVICE.